Falling to Ravens Was 'Blessing in Disguise' For Rookie Pass Rusher

One of the goals that Baltimore Ravens rookie outside linebacker Mike Green set for himself at the onset of the pre-draft process was to prove that he was a talent worthy of going in the first round.

According to the censuses of draft analysis and following a dominant showing during the week of practice at the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, he had done just that but it still didn’t result in him hearing his name called on the first night of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The former Marshall standout who led the FBS with 17 sacks in 2024 was eventually selected by the Ravens in the second round at No. 59 overall.

“Of course it’s tough just knowing that you’ve got first round potential and just knowing that regardless [of] which team that you was going to go to, that you just wanted a chance to [not] get out of the first round,” Green said Sunday during rookie minicamp.

After falling out of the first round, the only thing on his mind was “I really just wanted to get picked up." Green didn’t care if it meant he was the final pick in the draft as Mr. Irrelevant, but he is grateful that he wound up joining the Charm City franchise.

“Coming to the Ravens was a blessing in disguise and I live by that and I mean that,” Green said. “I honestly can say, I don’t think there’s a better program or franchise that I can be a part of than the Ravens so I’m blessed to be here, it’s an honor and I’m ready to get to work.”

Mike Green addresses the media.@Mikegreen42021 pic.twitter.com/GXH5sYMt6j
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 4, 2025

Based off of his tape, production, pure talent and already refined pass rush prowess, Green is a top 20 if not even top 10 talent among this year’s incoming rookie class.

The only reason 31 other teams nearly passed over him twice including the Ravens before they stopped his free fall at the bottom of the second round was because of two separate allegations of sexual assault that were made against him from when he was in high school and early in his college career at the University of Virginia.

Green vehemently denied any wrongdoing and was transparent with every team that he met with during the pre-draft process. When addressing the local media for the first time as a Raven on Sunday, he was adamant that he was focused on moving on with his life and didn’t want to address the matter any further.

“Throughout the draft process, you really just need one team to choose you and that happened to be the Ravens,” Green said. “I’m just blessed to be here. Unfortunately, I didn’t get picked up in the first round like I wanted to but like I said this was a blessing in disguise, I’m glad to be here and I’m just focused on moving forward with my life and with my career and that’s just going to be here with the Ravens."

When he came to Baltimore on a 30 visit, Ravens' general manager Eric DeCosta told him that if he saw a phone number that starts with 410 during the draft that meant that was the call letting him know that he was going to be a Raven.

“It’s crazy [because] everything came in full circle,” Green said of his draft night experience. “I’m sitting on the couch and I see that 410 number and I knew it was him. It meant a lot and me and my family got to celebrate that and it was great.”

It means a tremendous amount to Green to join a team where he can add to a rich history of defensive dominance and excellence. Following in the footsteps of franchise legend front seven players such as Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs is an honor he doesn’t take lightly and will try his best to live up to and continue.

“This team has a lot of great culture that’s been going around,” Green said. “It means a lot more since I’m a defensive player as well and seeing all those great defensive players walk through here, it means a little bit more for sure.”

Green claims that he has gone through most of his life with a chip on his shoulder and plans to use his fall in the draft as further motivation moving forward.

“I feed off of that and I feel like just being able to go out there with a chip on your shoulder, it means a little bit more,” Green said.

Whenever he goes against an opposing team, he’s going to have that reminder that they passed on him in the back of his head while winning remains on the forefront of his mind.

.@Mikegreen42021 is really like that ❗️ pic.twitter.com/dJlzMO2FAO
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 4, 2025

The Ravens' defense rounded into one of the best all-around units by the end of the 2024 season, ranking first and run defense and finishing with the second-most sacks. Even though Green is joining a crowded outside linebacker depth chart that is returning every player from last year including two first-time members of the double-digit sack club, he is looking forward to the role he’ll get to play in bringing even more juice off the edge.

“You've got to think about, 'What more can you add to your defense?' And I feel like the Ravens did a great job of picking somebody up that had previous success at getting to the quarterback,” Green said. “I feel like they just did a great job of adding to the skillset that the pass rush room already has.”

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